The Choices We Make
by AlwaysPadfoot
Summary: What would happen if Minerva McGonagall went against her mentor's wishes? What if she made a different choice when Professor Dumbledore left Harry Potter on the doorstep of Number 4 Privet Drive? Minerva makes a split-second decision and something very odd happens when she does. Rated K.


**The Choices We Make**

**AlwaysPadfoot**

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**Disclaimer:** Alas, it's not mine :(

**Competition:** The School Subjects Comp (Transfiguration)

**Authors Note:** Please enjoy! :)

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**PROLOGUE**

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Minerva could not believe that Albus was doing this as she watched Hagrid wipe his streaming eyes on his jacket sleeve before he swung himself onto his motorcycle and kicked the engine into life; with a roar it rose into the air and off into the night.

"I shall see you soon, I expect, Professor McGonagall," said Dumbledore, nodding to her. Minerva blew her nose in reply still trying to understand how it was even possible that this had happened to Lily and James child. They had been under Fidelius – they should have stayed hidden. You-Know-Who should have never found them.

She watched anxiously as Dumbledore turned and walked back down the street. On the corner he stopped and took out the silver deluminator that Minerva had brought for him over twenty years ago. He clicked it once, and twelve balls of light sped back to their street lamps so that Privet Drive glowed suddenly orange once more. Minerva morphed back into her animagus form and slunk round the corner to think over what had happened.

A breeze ruffled the neat hedges of Privet Drive, which lay silent and tidy under the inky sky, the very last place you would expect astonishing things to happen. She'd watched the Dursley's all day; they really were the worse Muggles she'd ever come across. It made Minerva's heartache just thinking about Harry Potter living with them. He would be better with a magical family, better anywhere but here. Even if she herself took Harry and -

Wait a minute. What if she did take Harry? What if she brought Harry up? that way he'll know everything about who he really was. After all, Minerva highly doubted that the Dursley's would tell Harry all about what had happened tonight.

Albus would be furious though; no matter how much she could try, she wouldn't be able to convince him to change his mind on this and if he found out he would surely send Harry back to them.

Minerva would just have to make it work; she was not going to leave Harry Potter here with the worse Muggles imaginable. Slowly she slipped from the shadows and back across the road towards number four Privet Drive. After a quick look around she shifted back to her Human form and approached the Dursley's front door. Harry Potter rolled over inside his blankets without waking up. One small hand closed on the letter beside him and he slept on, not knowing he was special, not knowing he was famous, not knowing he could have spent the next ten years with this very-Muggle family.

Minerva scooped up the bundle of blankets wrapped tightly around the small boy and looked down at the sleeping baby in her arms. The lightning bolt scar on his head glowed for a short second and Minerva's palm burned painfully, making her almost drop Harry for a moment.

Thankful she hadn't dropped the sleeping boy, she shifted him to her opposite arm to inspect her palm.

"Oh my goodness," she murmured as she stared at her palm. There glowing, emblazoned to her skin, was a scar that perfectly matched the one on Harry's forehead. Confused, she turned on her heel and, with Harry clasped safely to her chest, she disappeared with a small pop.

Harry Potter would never wake up to his Aunt Petunia screaming when she discovered her nephew on the doorstep the next morning. He would never spend ten years being poked, prodded and punched by his cousin Dudley or having no friends at school because Dudley made him out to be a freak. No, Harry Potter would never have a horrible and neglected childhood at Number 4 Privet Drive.

Harry Potter wouldn't even be Harry Potter any longer.

He was James Malcolm McGonagall.

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**_I've left this open by putting Prologue at the top because I believe it has potential to be a Multi-Chapter but for now this is just a OS. I hope you've enjoyed this, please R&R._**

**_Ami x_**


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